we love SF

 Top: sunset from my back window.

Middle: view from Sunday picnic at the park behind the Randall Museum in Twin Peaks.

Bottom: glorious painted side wall from walk on Folsom Street yesterday.

my pretty city

 I never tire of this view, especially early morning when the sun comes up and reflects on a few of the buildings. Counting my blessings on a Tuesday...

a holiday monolith appears

This is a gingerbread monolith that appeared for Christmas in Corona Heights Park. As a friend who moved to the East Coast a few years ago said, "Oh, San Francisco, this is why I can not stop loving you." It crumbled, alas, after a few days in the mist and fog. You just don't find this in Wichita, Kansas.

the cosmic melancholy of my past

like a seagull tethered to Alcatraz

VISITING SAN FRANCISCO

I wanted to curl up

in the comfortable cosmic melancholy of my past,

in the sadness of my past being passed.

I wanted to tour the museum of my antiquities

and look at the sarcophagi there.

I wanted to wallow like a water buffalo in the cool,

sagacious mud of my past,

so I wrote you and said I’d be in town and could we meet.

But you think my past is your present.

You wouldn’t relent, you wouldn’t agree

to dinner or a cup of coffee or even a bag of peanuts

on a bench in North Beach.

You didn’t want to curl up or tour or wallow with me.

You’re still mad, long after the days

have turned into decades, about the ways I let you down.

The four hundred thousand ways.

Maybe I would be, too.

But people have done worse to me.

I don’t think I’m being grotesque when I tell you

I’ve been flayed and slayed and force-fed anguish.

I’ve been a human cataract

plunging through a noose and going to pieces on the rocks.

I’ve been a seagull tethered to Alcatraz.

What can I say, what more can I say, how much more

vulnerable can I be, to persuade you

now that I’ve persuaded myself?

Why can’t you just let it go?

Well, at least I’m in San Francisco.

San Francisco, where the homeless are most at home—

crouching over their tucker bags under your pollarded trees—

because your beauty is as free to them

as to the domiciled in their

dead-bolt domiciles, your beauty is as free to

the innocent as to the guilty.

The fog has burned off.

In a cheap and windy room on Russian Hill

a man on the run unwraps the bandages

swaddling his new face, his reconstructed face,

and looks in the mirror and sees

the face of Humphrey Bogart. Only here

could such a thing happen.

It was really always you, San Francisco,

time won’t ever darken my love for you,

San Francisco.

~ Vijay Sephardi

This article appears in the print edition of the May 13, 2019, issue. NEW YORKER

SF in B&W

Foggy Night, Land's End

Yesterday Husbando and I went to the Leica store (and gallery) on Bush
Street to see and appreciate the more than 50 photos of our city by Fred
Lyon who is celebrating his 90th birthday with a new book and this
glorious exhibit. Beautiful, amazing black and white photos from many
corners of this unusual city. Free. Through October 22nd. Go.

morning becomes my city

I rush to try to catch the early morning sun as it lights up the Mission and
Twin Peaks. My photography never really does justice to the beauty before us.
"Come look!" from me to Husbando or vice versa, because no two days are
ever alike. I often try to capture the downtown buildings reflecting (for just a
minute or two) this amazing, never ending sun majesty. But here is the view
from our left, on our back stoop - and then, gone. Fleeting. And isn't that
such an important part of the glory of it all?

this morning

...and every morning lately. We are in our fog pattern currently, but this will
burn off by 10am or so. I think this is the first summer that I haven't resented
our vichyssoise weather weirdness. Maybe I'm finally accepting the fact
that summer in the city is cold, foggy and wintry. I mean we've only lived
in SF for 40 or so years. Now I'll check and see what I'd be wearing in
Paris today. I'm guessing black pants, black top, grey puffy vest and a scarf.

speaking of love

In the window of a little shop on Grant Avenue, San Francisco. When love
was new, Husbando was offered a fabulous job somewhere in Nebraska or
Iowa, and I was forced to say, "you're going alone," and we are both so
glad that I could be that stubborn when it comes to living in the Best City in
the world. I didn't say perfect, but still the Best.

outside my window

This is an old daily write that I read for Tiapos last Thursday night.

It's still dark out but I see a pink haze which means, yes folks, the sun will
come up again today. We have this spectacular view and I can see that the
city, my city, is not yet awake. No lights to speak of, except the occasional
glowing window or street lamp.

Remember all those mornings when I had to open the downtown Borders
store at 6am? God, how did I do it? Up at 4am, a little computer work,
fix my lunch, eat breakfast and out of here. I'd get to leave work at 3:30pm
and everyone would say, "Going home? Oh, lucky you." I tried not to
snap at them, but that so pissed me off. Exhausted every night and in
bed shortly after 8pm. I think of it as the 401(k) time because those eight
years were when I concentrated on building up our retirement funds.

Today I work part time and I don't have to be out at the Legion of Honor
until 9:30. And yet it will be a rush and I consider it a huge imposition.
Work disrupts my schedule of daily newspaper reading, noodling
around on the computer, coffee drinking, walking, gardening,
puttering and looking out my window at the San Francisco skyline.

07/31/12

 

our downtown Friday

Nespresso Cafe

World's most expensive latte

Our friend John signs the check

We had to DRESS on Friday because John and Mary were taking us to his
men's club for lunch. A whole different world with dark wood, no cell
phones, no doggie bags, ties for the men, too much food and Green
Goddess salad dressing. Old style, very pleasant and of course so nice
to be with these old friends again.

But first, since I was all gussied up, I had a latte at Nespresso. They serve
you, no standing in line. Paris prices. My latte was $6.50 and I can't
really justify that too often, can I? I met Husbando afterwards and had
to confess my "how much?" treat. Back to Starbucks...

So today I'm making Green Goddess salad dressing and will report in
about this later.

welcome to the city!

Yesterday I visited the new City Target store down at the Metreon Center
on Mission and 2nd (I think). In any case, it's just as wonderful as I expected
and we don't have to drive to Colma anymore. I bought three basic tops
because I want to help the economy of Guatemala, poked around the store
and had a latte at the new Target Starbucks. When we walked around Chicago
we popped into their new City Target and now we welcome a second store
here in SF out at Geary and Masonic. Love this new Target strategy. City
folk need quality products at low prices too!

I spent a lot of time watching the Giants in game #3 yesterday. We lost
and there was a 3 hour rain delay. Tedious. Love/hate baseball, as usual...

my city at its best

First ~ a walk along the Embarcadero (Bay Bridge)

Huge new photo exhibit at Pier 24

Back to the Mish for Mr. Pollo lunch

We three (Husbando, Ginger and your intrepid blogger) had reservations at
Pier 24 for the new photography exhibit which includes Avedon, Friedlander,
Arbus, etc. ~ the best of the best. This site is directly (almost) under the Bay
Bridge and it's free (!), but you need to sign-up online. We spent about two
hours wandering around appreciating the amazing talent.

Back on BART to 24th and Mission for a lavish lunch at Mr. Pollo. The
two young guys here so love being chefs and even though the restaurant
looks seedy, the food is fresh and unbelievably delicious. Yesterday we
had chicken arepas (sort of like sandwiches) and some unusually yummy
fruit drinks. Outstanding.

We reminisced about 9/11 eleven years ago. Everyone did, and should.

the twins need a little help

For as long as we've lived here, The Twins have been a big part of San
Francisco and now they are 85 and will have to leave the city they love
unless we send a little money to a special emergency fund for Marian
and Vivian Brown. I have vivid memories of Twin-Spotting and it seems
like my days were always better when I saw them. Thanks, readers!

Jewish Family and Children's Services
Emergency Assistance Fund
2150 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115

city fix needed

On 24th Street near Harrison

Off Alabama ~ maybe on 17th Street or so

Front yard on Alabama Street ~ probably 12 or so
cluckers (fenced in, fat and happy)

Our Precita Park, two blocks from Casa Verde

I was so ready to walk and appreciate San Francisco yesterday, after
a few days in the beige and occasionally pastel world of Scottsdale.
I definitely need the color, the crazy, the anything goes if you care
about others philosophy here. So I took two long walks and one
bus ride and smiled most of the time in my own city-smug way.

DOWNtown ~ where the lights are bright

My favorite holiday lunch...

Growing up in Pasadena ~ oh, so quiet and sedate. My favorite
thing when I reached my teens and started thinking a bit for myself,
was to get on the bus and go to Los Angeles. I'd go with a girlfriend
and we'd walk around, get lost, buy stuff, walk some more, have
fries and a cherry Coke®, walk some more and bus back to the
burbs. At some point my parents let me go by myself and that was
even more exciting. I guess that's how city-love started for me.

Yesterday at work a woman was talking about going into a mall
the day before. Honestly, my stomach sort of did a little heave ho.
Yikes, the horror of the malls. The crowds, the noise, the greedy
shoppers, the canned music, the grumpy sales clerks (and who
can blame them?). A mall would be one of those Dante rings of
purgatory for me, especially during the holidays.

Today I'm getting on a bus or BART and heading downtown.
I feel a sense of anticipation, almost like the Pasadena to L.A.
experience, but now I know what REAL cities are like and I
yearn to see the ice skaters, the pets in Macy's windows, the
cable cars decorated with greenery and bells. I'll walk and stop
at Starbucks® for a nutritious lunch, buy some silly stuff,
walk some more, people watch, maybe take a photo. But mostly
I'll just appreciate living in this glorious city where no one in
their right mind could EVER get bored.

drippy, but not gloomy

outside

inside

I'm not a fan of rain because my umbrella always seems to be the
wrong height and now some people (mostly men) carry these way
over-sized brollies and there is no room for the average walker to
weave in and out and not puncture anyone's eyeball. That said,
yesterday's rain was delightful because there was little or no
wind and god knows the city always needs cleaning.

The Ferry Building was packed with people, but Dancing Jen and
I had a fine lunch at the Slanted Door and we covered all the news
from here, there and yonder. She promised me a Halloween photo
of her niece and nephew, so we have that to look forward to soon.
I clearly remember when they did the re-mo on that glorious
building and my hope then was that it would be successful. Wish
granted, that's for sure.

It will be a quiet time at the de Young today. Picasso is gone and
artists from Venice will be arriving soon. I have lots of days off in
the future and am feeling A-OK about work today and tomorrow.

Valencia Street detailed

Still a lot of boarded up store fronts

Many with interesting art

Outside Community Thrift which was packed yesterday

Galleries and cafes galore ~ note new "parklet"

Chain stores are not allowed on Valencia Street, if that tells you
anything. Nor chain restaurants, come to think about it. This
is a nabe in transition and the once-low rents means that there
are lots of unusual new stores, coffee shops, art galleries and
restaurants. And they bring in the young who bring in the rest
of us and it's just a colorful mixture and a treat to walk,
especially on a holiday.

When I'm part-time again (25 days) I'll explore 826 Valencia
where Dave Eggers has his writing school. But for now, I
gotta go, gotta gig (as Will Walker poet extraordinaire would say.)

Labor Day in The Mish

I had about the nicest Labor Day possible because it combined:

• walking
• friendship
• great food
• sightseeing in MY city

Dancing Jen is a walker (too) and we met at 16th and Valencia
at noon and then I dithered and dickered and couldn't decide
where we should eat because I don't like to stand in line and
we wanted more than a coffee shop and yadadadada. Anyway,
Beretta was perfect and they didn't hurry us along even though
I didn't like the first table offered. (I have a theory that women
don't get the best tables sometimes, so I'll bore you with that
another day.) In any event, all the restaurants wise enough to
be open today were packed ~ the usual unusual Mission
District crazies of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes. Really,
it's why we love SF so much (most of the time), isn't it?

I so needed to stretch my legs and my imagination, what a
mood lifter. Jen is always a pleasure to be with because she
is so bright and funny. Plus there was sunshine today,
imagine that.

The thin couple next to us had 3 substantial courses. Jen
and I were startled when that final pizza appeared, but
they knocked it back with aplomb. Good times.

After lunch I continued walking up to Trader Joe's on
Bryant and she headed back downtown. We both logged
in some much-needed mileage today. Hoooooray!

slanted oysters

from my Olympus camera

from my iPhone

I want to show you how terrific the little iPhone camera is, but
you probably already know that. The oysters began our meal
at The Slanted Door yesterday ~ Susan, Ginger and myself.
Since we are all Driven Women, we arrived early for the best
table overlooking the Bay Bridge and the foggy sky. Susan
trained from Sacramento and Ginger and I came by BART
and we met at the Farmer's Market on the Embarcadero.

Great service, lovely food (corn kernels, grapefruit and jicama
salad, big ol' crepe) and lots of conversation and laughter.
We all worked together a few decades ago at Capwell's and
so there was a lot of "whatever happened to so-and-so?" and

"remember the time?" Also current events because we do all
live in the present, honest. A very nice day, friends are the best.

speaking of street art

Of all places, we found this large mural in North Beach yesterday
while we were walking around and enjoying this colorful slice
of San Francisco. Because of the film the night before, we
appreciated the artwork more than we normally would have.

It was an almost-rainy day, then bright sunshine, so it made
for some fine walking. Our lunch at Capp's Corner wasn't
memorable, except to say "it's still here!" and to sort through
the many times in the past that we had eaten there.

We avoided most Bay to Breakers which was why I had
asked for this day off in the first place. And yes, we found
a pretty good parking spot. Amazing.